Martha Brass, a woman who’s no stranger to boardrooms or golf courses, has taken on a historic role as the first female Chair of England Golf.
If that doesn’t raise a few eyebrows in the clubhouses across the country, it should. After all, this is a sport that, until relatively recently, wasn’t exactly renowned for its progressive inclusivity.
But Martha, with her sharp business acumen and love for the game, is ready to keep pushing the game forward.
Martha steps into the chairperson’s role after previously serving on the England Golf Board from 2017 to 2021, where she held the position of Senior Independent Director.
She’s now filling the shoes of Ian Pattinson, who has swapped his England Golf responsibilities for the prestigious position of Captain of The R&A. Not too shabby.
But it’s not just her golf governance experience that makes Martha stand out. By day, she’s the Chief Operating Officer of BBC Studios Productions—yes, that BBC.
She’s the one making sure the wheels of BBC Studios Productions keep spinning smoothly. In this role, she works hand-in-hand with the CEO, overseeing production, operations, and ensuring the team’s ambitious growth targets are met.
As if that wasn’t enough, Martha also happens to hold a Non-Executive Director position on the board of the PGA European Tour and serves as Chair of PGA European Tour Productions.
In her new role at England Golf, Martha is quick to champion the initiatives that have been making waves, including the Respect in Golf movement, iGolf, and iPlay.
“I’m thrilled to be rejoining the Board of Directors of England Golf,” she said. “I admire the work of England Golf – calling out the success of the Respect in Golf movement and initiatives such as iGolf and iPlay, in engaging the full spectrum of golfers.
I am very passionate about making the game more accessible and welcoming for people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities.”
She’s a breath of fresh air in a sport that’s often perceived as a bit, shall we say, stuffy.
Her enthusiasm to open up the game to all is clear, and she’s not just talking a good game—her actions back it up.
Martha is set to work closely with the board, executive leadership team, and county stakeholders to ensure golf continues to evolve in England.
Her commercial and operational chops aren’t just confined to the BBC and golf, though. She’s also led international operations at Newen Group, France’s biggest producer and distributor of audio-visual content.
Before that, she served as CEO of International Operations at Endemol Shine Group, the folks behind big TV hits you’ve probably heard of.
When she’s not running major media operations or sitting on boards, Martha is an avid golfer herself.
A member of Guildford Golf Club in Surrey, she served as Lady Captain and Board member in 2020 and 2021.
Across the pond, she’s also part of Eagles Mere Country Club in Pennsylvania, where her love of the sport first took root.
With her global experience, leadership chops, and passion for the game, Martha Brass is poised to leave a lasting mark on England Golf.
It’s an exciting time for the sport, and with Martha at the helm, there’s no doubt she’ll continue to champion diversity and accessibility on the fairways and beyond.
